Warnings, Banning the System.

[Tahl]

Ok, it would be wrong to say that recent events didn't influence the creation of this thread. That aside it is not the purpose of this thread to undermine the decision or condone the behaviour which lead to it. This thread is also not created to simply continue the discussion about the now final decision. Rather this thread has been created to discuss the websites, policies and way in which it governs itself.

So for instance it is my understanding that in the current system a member receives an official warning, then another then a temporary ban and then a permanent one?

Therefore I have a few questions:

1)Do warnings expire or are they there forever?
2)Are there different types of warning? And if so how do they work?
3)Is it possible that a record be kept on our “user profile” for us to view our own warning level?
4)How accurate/detailed are the records kept of warnings?
5)If they are detailed could it perhaps be policy that in any future “x had been banned” threads that they are shown to the board so that we too can see the chain progress?

Obviously the current system works just fine ( we haven't sunk into oblivion).

[Eldacar]

So for instance it is my understanding that in the current system a member receives an official warning, then another then a temporary ban and then a permanent one?

Three warnings results in a temporary ban (for 24 hours the first time around). Generally, I (and most other Lores, unless we're having a really bad day - we're only human, after all) will usually give a slap on the wrist before putting down anything more permanent. It also depends a great deal on what the Lore looking at it thinks. Each Loremaster has the ability to make their own decisions about whether to warn/ban or not rather than being required to run everything they do by the rest of us first (Heralds are a bit less free, but none of the Lores or Heralds would be in the position they hold if they weren't trusted - we do discuss all the more serious cases anyway), and it's mostly only if it is particularly "out of sync" that I'll be pulling one up to quiz them on their actions. That's why asking about a ban given to you is normally directed at the Loremaster who issued it rather than whichever one of us happens to be online.

1)Do warnings expire or are they there forever?

They don't "expire" as such. However, if you go for a long enough period without gaining a warning, if/when we go to add another one for some indiscretion that you commit, we're more likely to roll it over (e.g. if you have two warnings, are a good boy for a year, then do something to earn a third, we're probably more likely to roll one or both of those over instead of adding a third and giving you a temporary ban). This will vary from time to time depending on a wide range of things - the member in question, the temperament of the Loremaster at the time, the general posting history of the member, and so on. Heralds are also able to warn members, and the ban control is also in the MCP as well as the ACP.

2)Are there different types of warning? And if so how do they work?

Not counting the "unofficial slap on the wrist" that we hand out, there's just one type. The list pops up when any Lore or Herald opens the MCP (Moderator Control Panel) to take a look. For the record, the list of people with official warnings on their record is currently very short. As in, less than ten people (no, I won't tell you who they are).

3)Is it possible that a record be kept on our “user profile” for us to view our own warning level?

I would suppose that it is possible. Why, though? If you're that forgetful about whether you have warnings logged or not, you can always just ask. It's easy to check (of course, a response to a member that they have none shouldn't be inspiring them to start pushing us, either). When a ban is issued, there is also the option to show a reason to the banned member, as well as an email that can be automatically sent to whatever their listed email for this site is.

4)How accurate/detailed are the records kept of warnings?

There is a "logging actions" thread in the Congress (we usually use that to list bans and the reasons why, in addition to any other threads in Congress about particular members where members with Congress access can weigh in), and the actual list of warnings in the MCP. The banlist is a bit more hazy, but it's an exceedingly long one (almost all of the entries on it are ad bots, though, rather than actual members).

5)If they are detailed could it perhaps be policy that in any future “x had been banned” threads that they are shown to the board so that we too can see the chain progress?

I'm not sure what you're saying here. Are you asking that we shift the thread from Congress to the main forum when we make our decision? If that's what you're asking, then the answer is going to be no. We normally don't even tell you when somebody is given a ban, because it can create an atmosphere where even after being banned, the member in question is still drawing attention for whatever reason.

[Silver]

Honestly for the time I've been here, we've had very few need for warnings and the latest permanent ban was the first one (of an active member) that I witnessed.
I don't think we really need to bother with a more complicated warning level system with duration and whatnot like Warseer does.

Its rather peaceful in these parts.

Things rarely need to escalate after a warning unless the offender really doesn't let go... and a Warning is clearly labeled as such, because I know for my part that I will send PMs about actions taken (editing some foul words out of a post for example) and I have yet to send a warning to a member (mostly because everyone else follows Off Topic closer than I do). I send notices, these aren't warnings. Just letting you know that something was altered or deleted.